Quality & Safety Continuous Improvement Technician

Friendship Industries Inc•Harrisonburg, VA

2d•$23

About The Position

Within the Mission and Strategic Plan of Friendship Industries, Inc. and Able Solutions, Inc., the Quality, Safety & Continuous Improvement Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring compliance, driving operational excellence, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization. This role balances quality assurance, safety compliance, and continuous improvement leadership, with a strong emphasis on identifying inefficiencies, leading improvement initiatives, and building internal capability through Lean methodologies such as KATA, Kaizen, 5S, and root cause problem-solving. The Quality and Safety Continuous Improvement Coordinator partners cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, and Leadership to ensure systems are not only compliant—but continuously improving, sustainable, and people-centered.

Responsibilities

Lead and facilitate continuous improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies (KATA, Kaizen, 5S, visual management, standard work).
Identify process inefficiencies, waste, and variation; design and implement sustainable solutions.
Coach leaders and frontline staff in daily improvement practices, including KATA routines and problem-solving thinking.
Conduct root cause analysis (5 Why, fishbone, etc.) and ensure corrective actions are effective and sustained.
Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure improvement impact (quality, safety, productivity, cost).
Facilitate Kaizen events and improvement workshops across departments.
Drive a culture of improvement through structured audits, feedback loops, and engagement.
Monitor and sustain improvements through audits, standardization, and follow-up.
Serve as champion of the Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring compliance and continuous enhancement.
Ensure adherence to FDA, cGMP, and customer-specific requirements across all operations.
Conduct internal audits and participate in external audits (customer, regulatory, third-party).
Oversee product inspections and ensure all outputs meet required specifications.
Manage non-conformance processes, including documentation, investigation, and corrective actions.
Participate in mock recalls and traceability exercises.
Maintain accurate documentation, reports, and audit records.
Investigate customer complaints and implement corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).
Support and promote compliance with OSHA and internal safety programs.
Partner with operations to implement risk-based safety and quality strategies.
Conduct safety audits and support hazard identification and mitigation efforts.
Lead or support incident investigations using structured problem-solving methods.
Ensure proper implementation of programs such as Hazard Communication and workplace safety standards.
Develop and deliver training on quality systems, safety standards, and continuous improvement tools.
Coach employees and leaders on Lean practices and standard work.
Assess training effectiveness and adjust programs to improve retention and application.
Build internal capability by empowering teams to identify and solve problems independently.
Support onboarding and ongoing development related to quality, safety, and process excellence.
Analyze operational and quality data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
Support effective use of systems (WMS, ERP, tracking tools) to ensure process consistency and visibility.
Develop dashboards, scorecards, and reports to support data-driven decision-making.
Audit system and process adherence; identify gaps and implement corrective actions.
Partner with Operations to optimize workflows, layouts, and material flow.
Build strong, collaborative relationships across Production, Quality, Safety, and Leadership teams.
Act as a liaison between departments to align improvement priorities and execution.
Promote a culture where employees feel valued, respected, and engaged in improvement efforts.
Serve as a role model of professionalism, ethical behavior, and continuous learning.